Primary infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes chickenpox, and reactivation of the virus from latency results in zoster. The purpose of this project is to study the mechanism for latent infection by VZV.We have studied a VZV gene (ORF21) that has been reported to be expressed during latency in humans. During infection of cells in culture, this gene was shown to be up-regulated by VZV infection or by expression of a VZV gene (ORF62). The ends of the RNA transcripts that encode VZV ORF21 message have been mapped. In addition we have analyzed the interaction of a VZV protein (encoded by ORF62) with cellular proteins (transcription factors) to study how ORF62 protein regulates viral gene expression. - Chicken Pox, Shingles, Zoster, Varicella